The team of J. MAYER H. Architects, Lens °Ass and a20-architecten have realized “the new court of justice”, a structure that stands as a contemporary urban landmark in a newly revitalized district in Hasselt, Belgium.

After completing the exterior skin in 2011, the interior was completed in the spring of 2013 and the building officially opened on September 13th, 2013. “The new court of justice is an open, transparent building with direct public access, combining the Court of Justice with a university library and auditoriums for the faculty of law.” says Lens °Ass architecten.

“In keeping with the building’s logistical requirements and safety provisions, the structure is divided into three separate units: courtrooms, the library for students and an office tower with a 64-meters-high panorama restaurant on top from which offers a panoramic view of the city of Hasselt and its surroundings.”

“Based on a master plan by West 8, the former railway station site has been restructured with a park, public buildings, offices and hotels, as well as urban residential blocks. References in the design process point to both the image of the ‘tree’, the hazelnut trees in the City of Hasselt’s coat of arms, and steel structures in the once industrial- and Art Nouveau-influenced area.”